Fabulous Firehouses become Homes and Businesses

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mack said:
Ladder 8 - current firehouse - 14 N Moore St (built 1905 - renovated 1915)

Originally built to house the 2-section ladder company, the firehouse was cut in half in 1915 to accommodate the widening of Varick Street.

Original double ladder company firehouse:


Current L8 firehouse:


Ladder 8 history:
http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/11/1904-hook-and-ladder-company-no-8-14.html

Hook & Ladder No. 8 firehouse was used for exterior shots of the Ghostbusters' Headquarters in both the original movie and the sequel.
The top photo is not Ladder 8 but actually Ladder 2's old double firehouse at 126 E. 50th St.
 

mack

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Engine 38/L51  3446 Eastchester Rd  - current Bronx firehouse built in 1928

Firehouse neighboorhood when built:


Current:



 

mack

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Citizens Engine Company 1/Amicitia H&L 1 -  3 firehouses - Princes Bay SI  (1900-1937)

Workers from SS White Dental Works factory formed these two volunteer fire companies to provide fire protection for the Pleasant Plains/Princes Bay sections of SI.  They responded to alarms from Mt Loretto-Tottenville to Annadale.  The responses were made with equipment pulled by hand or by horses, until motorized in the 1920s.  Alarms were sounded by a whistle at SS White.  Both companies disbanded in 1937 when Engine 164 and Ladder 84 were organized in Huguenot.

1st firehouse - 6225 Amboy Rd: 

Today a beauty shop:


2nd firehouse - 6054 Amboy Rd:

Today (former Princes Bay NY Public Library branch:


3rd Firehouse was building next door to 2nd firehouse - Amiticia Hall - 

Amicitia H&L 1 posing in front of 3rd firehouse.

Notes about SS White, which supported fire companies:
  - by 1890s - the largest employer on SI
  - by 1920s, the largest maker of dental equipment in the world
  - closed as manufacturing facility in 1972
  - converted to a Factory Center trade mart and discount outlet center which proved to be unsuccessful
  - closed in 1982
  - vacant buildings were location of many fires for Bn 23 units
  - 2nd alarm suspicious fire caused remaining buildings to be razed in 1986


http://www.silive.com/specialreports/index.ssf/2011/03/ss_white_was_supplying_the_wor.html
 

mack

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Engine 55/Division 1 - 185 Lafayette St  - original firehouse  (E 55  1887-1899/Division 1  1900-1906)

Currently a $4.5M single family home:



http://ostrovrealty.com/lafayette185/photos.shtml

Drawing of original firehouse:


Don Holt's excellent FDNY site explains that E55's original 4 story quarters was built on an existing Elm St when the company was formed in 1887.  Lafayette St was extended and the street widening forced the relatively new firehouse to be shortened which made quarters no longer functional for an engine company.  Division 1 used the firehouse for a few years after E 55 moved to their new quarters on Broome St.

http://nyfd.com/manhattan_engines/engine_55.html

Engine 55's current firehouse at 363 Broome St (1899-present). Firehouse also housed Battalion 2 and Division 2 at various times:





http://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2011/01/fire-engine-company-55-363-broome.html

 

mack

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Engine 307/Ladder 154  - 81-17 Northern Blvd  - Current firehouse built 1930 (also quartered Division 14 1930-1990)

"Then" photograph:


"Now" photographs:




 

mack

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Ladder 103  183 Concord St  - previous firehouse built 1875 for paid Brooklyn Fire Dept H&L 3 - became L 3 FDNY in 1898, renumbered L 53 FDNY later in 1898 and renumbered L 103 in 1913 - Concord St was quarters from 1875-1932 prior to move to new quarters with E 290 on Sheffield Ave.

Concord St Firehouse:


Current 183 Concord St:


http://nyfd.com/brooklyn_ladders/ladder_103.html
 

mack

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Engine 159 - 1592 Richmond Rd  - opening ceremony 1930 - current quarters of E 159 and Satellite 5  (quarters of L 81 1930-1960)






E 159 apparatus in the 1950s-60s:




E 159 activity in 1949 (E 165 and E 166 not formed until the 1960s):   


Original E 159 firehouse when formed 1913 (same location) - prior firehouse of FDNY Hose 7:


Firehouse today:

 
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The figures for 1948/49 indicate it was a dry year. Bronx E's 96, 64 and 89 are all in the top 25 in Workers, an anomaly. Means there  were lots of brush fires in what was then mostly park and farmland in the east Bronx.

I would guess the same for E159 that year.
 
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"Active Hook and Ladder 1  Northern Blvd and 250 St  Little Neck (1905-1929)" The firehouse was torn down in the late 60's/early 70's to make way for a McDonalds despite much community opposition. From 1929 to about 1969 the building had been used as a bank. Queens County Savings Bank and then Bankers Trust. The real estate office still stands opposite across Northern Blvd.
 

mack

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Flatlands Engine 1 - 1400 Rockaway Parkway  Canarsie -  volunteer company firehouse 1859-1897:

Former firehouse Flatlands Fire Dept Engine 1:




Today:


History:
Flatlands Eng 1 organized in 1859 -  became part of Flatlands Fire Dept in 1892 -  Flatlands Fire Dept replaced in 1897 with paid BFD Engine 57 (became FDNY E 257) - volunteer members would not sell firehouse to city of Brooklyn because members wanted to maintain a building to meet socially - BFD (later FDNY) rented a former funeral home at 1517 Rockaway Parkway until new firehouse built in 1908 at 1361 Rockaway Pkwy
 

mack

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E 152 - 1212 Bay St - original firehouse  (1905-1930) - previously a volunteer fire company firehouse

1212 Bay St firehouse:


256 Hylan Blvd firehouse 1930 dedication:




256 Hylan Blvd firehouse current - also quarters of Bn 21 (1976-present):





 

mack

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Engine 68 responding:
Engine 68

Slightly off topic, but.....

Around :20 mark, you hear someone ask, "Where we going Rich?"

And you hear the reply, "2nd due....ah...I'm not sure...Clarke Place maybe?"

I'm pretty sure that's Richie McCoy.  Just passed away April 29th. Former member of 68 and 49. Sounds like him to me.

Strange how things like that pop up.....RIP
 

mack

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FF Rich McCoy - Ladder 49 - RIP

"Richard G. McCoy, of Monroe, died suddenly on Thursday, April 26, 2012. He was 49 years old. He was born April 15, 1963 in Suffern. He was the son of William and Ann "Nancy" Flynn McCoy. Richard was a retired New York City Firefighter with Ladder 49, "House on the Hill" in the Bronx and former New York State Trooper with Troop F. Rich was a 9/11 first responder who spent many days at the site, retiring shortly afterward. He was a beloved husband and devoted father of three, who spent all his time with his children who he loved more than anything in the world. On any given day, he could be found coaching on the baseball or softball field, the soccer field, basketball court or cheering on his daughter at a track and field event. He coached baseball and softball for Monroe-Woodbury Little League, soccer and basketball. Rich was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hike, fish and hunt with friends and family. He will be remembered as the guy who put everyone ahead of himself. He will be missed by family and friends more than he ever could have imagined, but never forgotten."

 
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Thank you FF Rich McCoy of FDNYs Ladder 49. I never met you but I'm willing to say I saw you at many jobs in the Bronx as your company caught a huge amount of work. May you Rest in Peace and my condolunces to your family and friends, and to the members of the FDNY on their loss. Thank you for your services to the City of New York.

  On a different note, in the video of Engine 68 responding to that call, it appears to be in the time frame of maybe the 1980s. Could that be Lt J. Bendick riding in the front seat ? I know he was a Loo around that time assigned in the busy Engine 68.
 

mack

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Ladder 23 - former quarters - 504 W 140 St  (1898-1918)



E 80/E 80-2/L 23 firehouse - 503 W139 St (E 80 1905-present/E 80-2 1905-1915/L 23 1918-present:

 
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